Pros:

Cons:

Let me preface this whole thing by saying that I hate Deadpool. I mean, I don't hate the character as a concept, but I hate the way that he's been turned into this snarky plot device for all of Marvel's dopey, self-referential marketing ploys. Now, while Deadpool is in Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds (and boy, is he annoying and lame), the entirety of MvC3's cast of characters feels like it has that Deadpool-ish marketing-oriented bent this time around. Marvel has stated that this game is "all about fan service," but that just doesn't seem to ring true here.

Sure, you've got some of the standby stalwarts of the series -- Ryu, Morrigan, Spidey, the Canadian Claw, etc. But some of the inclusions, like the dude from Bionic Commando, the chick from Devil May Cry, the female Wolverine clone chick, and frickin' Taskmaster, seem more designed to reawaken fan interest in their respective series than to play to the existing fan base. Exclusions, too, disappoint: Marvel vs. Capcom 2 had more than 50 characters to MvC3's 36, and some of my faves have gone missing, including the Juggernaut, the Juggernaut, and the mo'fuggin' Juggernaut.

Now, some of you may be more concerned with the actual gameplay than the characters in the game, and in that arena, MvC3 is likely to be very divisive. I grew up playing the MvC games in my college dorm's break room and at a local pizza place -- that is, on an upright arcade cabinet. All previous MvC titles (as well as X-Men vs. Street Fighter) started out as hardcore arcade fighting games -- but MvC3 is straight-to-console, and definitely shows it. Controls are streamlined from previous editions, but the game also includes a further "Simple" control system that makes combos and strings even easier. Ostensibly, this is designed to ease the learning curve for newbies, but what it really does is lead to a lot of button-mashing and repetition of the same combos (Simple mode reduces a character's moveset, in addition to making the moves easier to do) ad infinitum. Pro players will still kick the crap out of newbies in spite of the Simple mode, so its inclusion seems solely designed to allow new players to button-mash their way through the game's single-player modes, or merely as another line for the marketing copy.

To its credit, MvC3 offers a "Missions" gameplay mode, similar to the training mode from Street Fighter IV, in which you're tasked with performing moves and combos against (usually inert) A.I. opponents, to teach newbs and pros alike the ins and outs of the fighting system. This mode definitely helps teach you how to play, and also leads to unlocking a lot of extra content, but it doesn't involve the Simple control mode at all... so folks who've opted for that in the main game are likely to eschew Missions entirely.

Online multiplayer (the real meat of games like MvC3) is smooth and stable, although -- as with prior versions -- players tend to stick to the same few characters. If you see that your opponent has Arthur (the knight from Ghouls 'n' Ghosts). M.O.D.O.K., and frickin' Taskmaster, you know he 's either a newbie, or just there to mess with you. Likewise, some characters have more difficult combos, requiring reversals or cute timing, so only the better players tend to pick them: Magneto, for example, or Resident Evil's Albert Wesker. No matter what level you're playing at, you'll face a lot of Ryus, Spider-Mans, (Spider-Men?), and Wolverines.

Whoever you're facing, though, matches are frenetic and fun. Yes, it can get button mashy at times, but when you pull off a ridiculous combo and super move finish -- and you actually meant to do it -- that kinda rules ass. MvC3 is very, very different from say, Street Fighter IV; it's not so much about controlling screen space and striking at the right time as it is about being able to squeeze the most damage out of a single opportunity by being as flashy as possible. The over-the-top background announcer (thankfully optional for the single-player mode) just adds to the hedonistic chaos by shouting ridiculous, NBA-Jam style interjections whenever somebody lands more than three hits in a row.

Of course, if you're a hardcore gamer, you're likely wondering where this game fits into the pantheon of today's fighting titles. Why should you switch to MvC3 over, say, Street Fighter IV or Tekken 6, or even MvC2? Well, first of all, I'm not saying you should -- although it's inevitable that this game will replace MvC2 as the go-to combo-heavy fighting title -- but the key thing to remember here is that MvC3 is vastly easier to pick up and play than Capcom's prior Vs. games, while still rewarding fancy finger-work more than SF4 does, and punishing random button-mashery more than Tekken 6 does. Combo meters fill faster than you might expect, allowing more liberal use of super moves, character changes, and counters.

And the three-man tag-team combat style means that a great deal of the game is spent trying to keep wounded characters in the fight before they can swap out and heal -- as well as intentionally trying to knock out strong fighters and force players to bring in their weaker ones. It adds a strong metagame dynamic, especially when you're using fast, weak characters like Phoenix. In general, though, MvC3 tends to emphasize flash over substance... and that's totally cool, for some folks, as MvC3 is going to divide the fighting game audience, including series faithful. Some will like that it's more accessible (if a bit stripped down), while others will decry the dumbing-down of their favorite series and its lack of arcade sauce.

Regardless of how you feel, you'd probably start picking your favorite characters and learning your combos, because this one is the latest and greatest, and it will take its place among the most-played fighting games of the year, like it or not.